False Shelter

"My children,

I have given you all things in My Son—
life, peace, joy, and a love
that will guide you and teach you
how to walk and live in My ways.

I have made you complete in Him,
and in Him I have given you
eternal security that will protect you
through every tribulation
you can ever face.

Why are you slow to believe My word?
Why do you teach one another
that I will remove you from
the great tribulation
that is coming upon the earth?
Why have you added to My word
and nullified My promises
to sustain you during this time?

Is My Son's peace not
strong enough to keep you?

Must you invent your own promises
and put words in My mouth
that I did not speak?

Woe! Woe to those
who add to My words!

Woe to those who lull My people
to sleep with false promises
of earthly protection!

Woe to those who teach My children deception!

Repent and return to the gospel!

Repent before calamity overtakes you,
for the gospel of My peace
will be your only protection
in the days to come,
and you have exempted yourselves
from the very shelter I have provided you!

Come back to My shelter,
and you will find peace
that will be greater than
the tribulation you have feared."

*****

Art: "Judged"

The Captives Will Be Freed

"My servants who speak My heart,

I have allowed you
to share in My grief
when you see your fellow
brother and sister believers
speaking judgment about
unbelievers and those who
they believe are My enemies.

You have mourned with Me
over their blindness
and their rush to condemn.
You have grieved with Me
over their peddling fear
and their desire to spread
their 'gospel' of alarmism.

I will rescue from them many
who have been captive
to their word and their teachings;
I will set free from fear many
who have been fed with
the teachings of false prophets
and the spirit of despair.

Do not be discouraged,
for I am protecting and shielding
My children who seek Me
with simple childlike faith,
and I will not leave them
in captivity and perpetual alarm;
I will call them to freedom.

My sheep will hear My voice—
no one can snatch them
out of My hand."

*****

Art: "It's Time to Prophesy"

"Today I Wait"

"I am waiting eagerly—
not for sacred celebrations, days or seasons,
but I am here waiting for you today.

Today I want you to hear my voice!
Today I want you to know I am in you in My fullness!
Today is the day of My salvation!
Today is the day I have made for you and Me!"

*****

Art: "Keeping Sabbath"
See also: "I Hate Waiting"

Holding On to Straw

Yesterday as I was writing to a friend, God reminded me of a dream
which I had many years ago. It came about a year after I had left an "apostolic-prophetic" network that I had been connected to (for about a year).

I was with leaders from the apostolic-prophetic network and their friends in other ministries, and we were in an upper room that had a table in the middle, but they weren't sitting at the table. The network's leader was near it, but most of them were standing, hanging out and talking with each other off to the side of the table.

We were talking enthusiastically about what some of the leaders had said, and I was glad to have been included. We had notes and pamphlets, and we had coffee (I had made theirs, and one of them had made mine). But as everyone talked,
I held back from saying some things that I didn't feel right about.

Then I was away from them around to the other side of the table, and I saw that I was holding onto a bundle of some dry blades of grass and stalks of straw, which they had given me. I set it on the table and then went around the table to where the network's leader was and told him some of the things I had wanted to say.
Then I saw that I had put the bundle of straw in his hands.

I looked on the table and saw some gold like dust that had seemed to have fallen from the bundle of straw. For a moment I doubted and wondered if the whole bundle was gold, even though I could see that the grass blades were thin, dry, and about to fall apart. He felt it was important for me to keep, and I wanted to please him.
Holding the bundle again, I went back to the table and set it on the gold
that seemed to have fallen from it earlier.

Suddenly a strong wind blew behind us, as if a hole opened up behind us and sucked everything towards it. I held onto the table and my legs flew in the air behind me,
but I had no trouble holding onto the table and didn't need to use any strength at all.
When the wind stopped a moment later, the bundle of straw was gone,
but the gold had remained on the table, melted like wax in long strips.
The network leaders and their friends were gone.



A word from the Lord:

"My children, I have prepared a table for you—My Son!
My Son is the only true foundation,
and only in Him can you fellowship with one another.

But many of you have gathered around your own prophecies!
You are moving away from the only true foundation
and are luring away many of My children with your teaching.

You flatter with your 'prophecies' until you are flattered back
and make My children afraid to let go of your teaching,
causing them to doubt what I have taught them.

But I am calling My children back to My Son
—back to the only true foundation—
and they will keep only what I have taught them.

I will sweep away all that is straw,
and only what is true will remain.
Will you hold on to Him or to your straw?"

The Friends of Job

"My child, many are confusing you and filling you with doubt:

When you are weak, they say it as a sign of sin;
when you are poor, they say you are cursed;
when you are sick, they say you are in rebellion;
when you are unconvinced, they say it is your pride.

Many who claim to know Me and My ways
have become the same as the friends of Job.
I called them to sympathy and to carry your burdens,
but they have put burdens on top of you instead.

I am not speaking through their condemnation.
Do not be discouraged by their wise-sounding words,
for they know nothing if they have not love;
their wisdom is Jezebel's, not Mine.

I am with you, My child."

*****

Art: "Problem-Solving"
See also: "Jezebel's Secrets"

Teaching Error

"False shepherds!
You are leading My children into rebellion!
I gave you a charge to preach the gospel
—the Chosen One and Him crucified—
and to teach all nations to obey My command
that you love one another as I have loved you.

"But you have preached another gospel
—a gospel of 'the chosen people'—
and taught all nations to 'love Israel'
first before their neighbors.
You have taught My people to give
conditional love to the nations,
but unconditional love and support to Israel.

"You have used My words from the old covenant
to justify ignoring My teaching.
You have led My people away from My light
and into shadows and confusion!
When you are questioned about your errors
and your departure from My teaching,
you use your knowledge and authority
to silence and dismiss My sheep,
and to persuade them of the errors you teach.

"I will hold you accountable
for causing My little ones to sin."

*****

Art: "End-Time Fulfillments"

Depending On Darkness

"I am He who sees the truth of all things,
and I am He who reveals that which was hidden.
I do not need any support from the shadows!
Who can add to My righteousness?
Who can fix what I have made perfect?

"Many of My shepherds are afraid of following Me
without using old covenant laws;
they are afraid My words will not be
sufficient to sustain My church.
They have chosen spiritual insufficiency
by considering the new covenant to be insufficient.
They have chosen to depend on shadows
and darkness to sustain their light,
keeping My children in the dark
for the sake of 'the church' and their ministry.

"Woe to those who depend on old covenant shadows
and keep hidden the abuse of My children!
I will allow darkness to overtake them
and the houses they have built with darkness.
When they fall because the darkness has overtaken them,
they will see no path beneath their feet,
for their trust was not in light but in darkness—
for you cannot choose both darkness and light.

"Come into the light, My shepherds!
Let go of the shadows of the old covenant!
I will show you the surpassing
glory of the new covenant."

*****

Art & article: "Not Included!"

"I Am Coming"

"I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash
and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare...
I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands,
and they will no longer fall prey to your power.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.

"By lying to My people, who listen to lies,
you have killed those who should not have died
and have spared those who should not live...
Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies,
when I had brought them no grief,
and because you encouraged the wicked
not to turn from their evil ways...
I will save My people from your hands."
(Ezekiel 13:14,21,19,22-23)

"I will pour out My Spirit on My people,
and I will bring life to those who are thirsty.
But I will destroy what has been built with whitewash.
Do I delight in positive appearances? Do I look on the outside?
I am He who sees hearts, and I am He who knows what is kept secret.
And I judge in love—in the love I gave you on the Cross.

"I am sending messengers to the shepherds of My house,
to tell them when My people are hurting, and why.
I am rescuing My children from the abuse they have suffered
under the watch of shepherds who neglected and rejected them.
I am healing them from the wounds they received
when they were dismissed by proud shepherds
who do not want to change their ways.

"But will the shepherds acknowledge Me and listen to Me?
Will they reject Me as they have rejected My messengers?
Won't they only continue to punish their spiritual children?"

"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord,
because My flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered
and has become food for all the wild animals,
and because my shepherds did not search for My flock
but cared for themselves rather than for My flock,
therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for My flock.
I will remove them from tending the flock
so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves...

"For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I Myself will search for My sheep and look after them...
I will rescue them from all the places
where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness...
I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.
I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.
I will shepherd the flock with justice."
(Ezekiel 34:8-16)

Altar of Abuse

"Slain! The messengers I send are being slain!
I see the slain beneath the 'altar'
that many are preparing in My name.

"Many believe they have received the divine 'blueprint'
for building My kingdom in the last days.
They believe they are called to exercise authority over My people
in order to prepare the way for My return.

"When My witnesses testify that the 'blueprint'
is built on assumption instead of being rooted in the new covenant,
My witnesses are told that they are in danger of My judgment
because they are rebelling against 'authority'.

"'How long will You let this continue?' they cry to Me.
How much longer will I allow My words to be used
as instruments of control and abuse?
How much longer will I tolerate this 'altar'?

"Behold! I am sending more witnesses into Babylon
carrying My heart and My words for those who build the 'altar',
who believe they wear a 'mantle' of prophetic authority
but who do not know they are naked before Me.

"I am calling My witnesses to patient endurance
in My truth and in My love—even for those who slay them.
Woe to those who build their city with bloodshed!
Hear the cries of the slain under your altar, and repent!"

*****

Art: "Revealing the Slain"

Afraid to Admit Reality

"My beautiful child,
what are you doing here?

"Why have you been working so hard
to prove you are correct and are special?
Why are you so afraid of recognizing
how poor, blind and naked you are?

"Do not be afraid to recognize
and admit your unrighteousness.
Do not fear the existence of mistakes in your past
and errors in your beliefs.

"You are only hurting yourself by hiding from them.
You don't need to be better, more correct,
or more 'right' than others.
You only need Me!

"Let Me rescue you from prostitution!
Let go of pride and self-justification—
you are only soiling your clothes further!
Let Me wash you instead!"

*****

Art: "Beautiful"

The Spirit of "Jezebel"

"Thoughts About Jezebel" and "On Jezebel & Thyatira"

~~~~~

Thoughts About Jezebel
By Cherry Brandstater

Since the first time I heard the term “A Jezebel Spirit” it made me uneasy. I had no idea what it meant. I was told that it was a controlling, manipulative person. Whenever it was applied it was always in reference to a woman who was not in step with the will and wishes of leaders who wanted their own way to prevail. It just didn’t sit well with me.

As I observed the charismatic movement that I had come to love over the years it became evident to me that even though the ones using the phrase added the caveat that it could refer to a male as well as a female, it almost never was directed toward the males. Unfortunately, the church is no more kind than the world is when it comes to characterizing a woman who is decisive and capable as controlling, opinionated and manipulative while a man with the same characteristics is considered to be discerning and possessing the quality of leadership. There was something wrong here. I actually had a hard time grasping the whole concept of the “Jezebel spirit.”

So who was the Jezebel that this spirit is supposed to have inhabited. It turns out that there are two Jezebels in the Bible. Surprise, surprise. The first one to appear is in the Old Testament. Ahab, king of Israel married her. She was a heathen woman from Sidon. Here is what Ahab was like (even before he married Jezebel),

“Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.”

1 Kings 16:30-33 (NIV)

Doesn’t really sound like Jezebel was dragging him around by the nose into evil, does it? They were co-regents. Both had power. Both were evil. Ahab led the people into the worship of false gods, even to the point of sacrificing children. He led the way in bringing in the heathen religions of the region and Jezebel worked right alongside him to wipe out the worship of the true God by destroying the prophets. They were a team with one purpose. So is the traditional “Jezebel spirit” interpretation valid? I think not.

The second Jezebel is found in Revelation:

“Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.”

Revelation 2:20-21 (NIV)

If we take this apart to find the implications we see that this Jezebel calls herself a prophet. In other words, God did not send her. God did not call her a prophet. She called herself a prophet. That is wrong. It is sin and it is common. But the sin that is being called out here is that of the church of Thyatira. They were tolerating the false prophetic without correction. The church allowed her to continue to preach and to teach as if she were hearing from God.

The false prophetic led the church into sexual immorality (where have we seen this?), and into all the practices of the false religions around them – spiritual adultery. I believe that this is the Jezebel spirit for which the church is called to be alert in these days and not be taken in by every person who claims to be prophetic.

Paul said that when one prophesies ALL are to carefully weigh what is said. All too often we have abdicated our responsibility to do so because the one speaking has a following as a prophetic voice. We have twisted the words in Chronicles, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm" (1 Chronicles 16:22).

We have construed them to mean that we do not have a responsibility to weigh what they say against scripture. They become untouchable and anything they say must be from God. This is a dangerous precedent that does not get good marks in the word of God.

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.”

Jeremiah 23:16 (NIV)

It’s especially hard to weigh a word carefully when it is what we were hoping to hear.

If there were false prophets then, surely there are prophets today who speak from their own minds and not from God's. It IS our responsibility and privilege to trust the Holy Spirit to guide us as we “weigh carefully” what anyone puts forth as a word from the Lord whether they are our next door neighbor or someone with a well-respected “prophetic” ministry. The word of God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit will be our surest guide.

~~~~~

On Jezebel & Thyatira
By Ramone Romero

Usually "Jezebel" is seen today as a sort of self-proclaimed prophet or teacher who tries to draw people away from established church leaders to themselves instead. While that often happens in churches, it does not fit the original "Jezebel" in scripture.

Her name meant "not exalted", and throughout her life she did not seek her own exaltation or disciples, but rather she fought (and abused God's people) so that her husband (Ahab) and her children (future kings of Israel) would be exalted and honored by the people. She wedded herself to Ahab and served him. Instead of trying to get what she herself wanted, she used her abusive ways to try to get for Ahab the things that his heart coveted.

Jezebel seemed to have been particularly irritated at the prophets of God because she wanted them to be in submission to the king (for example, her son repeatedly demanded that Elijah come before him according to his own timing instead of Elijah's or God's). She wanted "God" and all of His children in submission to the top leadership.

So in Revelation, when Christ said that "Jezebel" was tolerated at the church in Thyatira, we shouldn't assume that "Jezebel" was a prophet or teacher who was trying to gather people away from leadership to themselves or their own teachings. The exact opposite was true with the Biblical "Jezebel"—she wanted people to submit to leadership more than to God! "Jezebel" in Thyatira was a person or spirit that promised deep revelations and spiritual secrets ("food") if people submitted to the abuse and misuse of the church's authorities.

The bottom line of "her teachings" is to serve the idols of your heart. Jezebel appeals to the heart's fleshy desire for greatness and exaltation, promising "deep secrets" that will help you get what your heart desires (in God's name, of course!). But the authority that Christ gives is different, not based on the fleshy desire for "more." Christ's way of authority is simply love and service. The greatest is to be the least, not a "benefactor" who lords it over people. Love thinks not of itself.

It's all about Jesus and His love. Making it about anything else makes God seem far away, so that you have to "know this" or "submit to that" in order to "get to" Him or get to some "increase in authority." Subtly it replaces God with idols and distracts from loving one another. In contrast, Christ said that He put no extra burdens on His people; the gospel and His command to love as He loved us are enough. Anything else is added weight.

Christ wants His spiritual children to be able to recognize true spiritual authority for themselves, instead of being forced to submit to it. He will teach His own true authroity to those those who have not accepted "her" abusive ways and profited in fruit ('children') from "Jezebel." His authority does not make sense in the ways of the world, but that is the way of the Cross.

Read more about the biblical "Jezebel"

*****

See also: "Jezebel's Secrets"

"I Am Your House"

"You are safe in Me.
I am your refuge.
I am your new home.

"You have been told that you were running away from Me
if you did not 'belong to a church,' pay tithe, or 'submit to authority.'
And if you questioned your spiritual parents,
you were told to stop, to conform, and just be good little boys and girls.
You were told that you were orphans without their parenting,
but I tell you that you are Mine.

"You belong to Me.
You are members of My house.
You are My children forever."

*****

Art: "At God's Home"

"Overloading My Children!"

By Ramone Romero
July 21, 2010

Several years ago an intercessor whom I don't know was praying for a big series of meetings in Japan, which would have guest speakers who were famous 'prophetic' voices in charismatic churches/movements. The intercessor wrote:

"God showed me a vision when I prayed for a dream about the [...] meetings on the other day. In the vision, there was a baby in a crib. A mom came to see him and put a list on his crib, and then walked away. On that list were things that he should and shouldn't do. The baby looked very confused. He didn't know what was he supposed to do."

The intercessor said briefly that they thought the baby was the church in Japan, and the mom were the leaders who were treating the baby the wrong way. But then the intercessor went onto say that God was raising up an army in Japan of elite troops, and that through the meetings God would blow a mighty wind through Japan, and to prophesy to people to rise up, rise up, etc.

It was shocking for me to read because the intercessor writing the interpretation and the leader organizing the meetings (who had sent the intercessor's vision out for prayer) seemed to miss what God was saying: There are many, many, many strategies and knowledges leaders and missionaries have been trying to give to the children of Japan, but ONE THING IS NEEDED, the one thing that will not be taken away from them... to rest in the arms of the Lord, sitting at His feet, being cradled by Him.



I painted this picture (titled, "One Thing Is Needed") maybe five or more years later because of a little note my wife made about being confused. She had been hearing many teachings about how you need to know this, and this, and that, and that, etc., and in this case we need to know this or that, etc. The same thing that was happening at those meetings back then with the 'prophets' continues today, not only at that church/network, but here at local churches and around the world.

God, I want to repent for overloading Your children here. You are the Teacher, You are the One. It's not about what I know, what we know, and all the good things we've learned. They need You, not me. God, give us Your heart for them so that we hold them in love instead of teaching them and then walking away. They need love, so fill our arms with Your love so we may hold them, being Your arms. It's all about You and Your love for them. Amen!

And now, today as I post this (January 18th, 2012), I hear You say:

"My children are being overloaded!
My children are being overloaded!
Where are their spiritual parents?
Where are their spiritual parents?

"Woe to those who overload My children!
Woe to those who set before My children rule upon rule,
knowledge upon knowledge and 'level' after 'level'!
Woe to those who scar My children from knowing My love!

"Repent! Repent! Take away your many rules!
Repent of the many 'levels' and 'keys' you force on My children!
Repent of putting My children back under the yoke of Law!
Repent of giving instructions first while withholding love!"

Resting In Being Abused

"Wake up! Wake up, My people!
Where are you going? Why are you sleeping?
You are letting others take you along—
politicians, political pastors, news sources and corporations!

"Why have you not exercised discernment?
Why have you put your trust in people, political parties,
platforms and the profession of My name—
instead of weighing all things by the love I showed you on the Cross?

"Get up! Get up and return to trusting in Me—
instead of sleeping and letting others drive you,
manipulate you, rouse your emotions, make you afraid,
and distract you from the Cross and My commands to walk in agape love!"

*****

Art link:
"The Sleeping Train"

'Only For the Advanced'

"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall."
(Psalm 46:4-5)

"Shepherds! Shepherds! Why are you afraid of Me?
Why are you afraid for your spiritual children?
Don't you know that I love them even more than you do?
You are afraid that I cannot keep them safe without you!

"I promised that I would pour out My Spirit on all flesh—even on your children!
But you have been afraid as if My Spirit is a raging river,
safe only for the spiritually mature to swim in.
Unintentionally you have taught My children to be afraid of Me,
that I will not keep them safe and that I give dangerous gifts to those I love.
You teach them to sing about Me but also to stay at a safe distance away.
They are left with longing, waiting to go deeper,
yet because you have taught them shadows from the old covenant,
the river of My Spirit appears murky to them—forbidding all
but the most spiritually 'advanced' from getting in the water unsupervised.

"For a time I have allowed you to stand between Me and My children
in order to give you time to repent.
But the day is coming when your walls will be broken down:
the rivers of the world will break them, and My Spirit will also break them.
I will allow this so that I may make My children glad with My presence,
and so that I may strengthen them and prepare them for the days that are coming.
Unless the barriers you have put between Me and My children are removed,
My children will not be able to stand in the days to come.

"Take Me at My word: Teach My children the truth of the New Covenant!"

*****

Art: "River of Bondage"

"Who Will Tend My Sheep?"

"I have called My people to be a refuge for the brokenhearted, the outcast and the poor in spirit, but My house has become a place for the healthy more than for the sick. Those who are broken and hurting are kept waiting, while those who should be tending them are tending their programs and agendas instead. Who will tend My sheep? Who will bind up the injured and heal the brokenhearted? What will the servants do when the Master returns?"

Threatened By Children

"Woe! Woe! My children are being abused!
And their abusers deny their wounds:

'Don't criticize leadership...'
'No church is perfect...'
'Don't focus on negatives...'

"When My children see abuses, hypocrisy and errors,
their spiritual parents feel threatened
because they are afraid to see their own inadequacies;
they would rather wound the eyes of My children that can see clearly.

"Spiritual fathers and mothers point the finger at their spiritual children
because they are afraid of losing their status and the praises of men.
They have not found their worth in My unconditional love, and so they seek
to keep their spiritual children from knowing My unconditional love.

"Woe to those who abuse My children and stand between us!
Woe to them, for I am coming to rescue My abused children!"

*****

Art: "Spiritually Abused"

Slavery ("For Your Own Good")

"Many of the pastors, teachers and prophets among My people
are leading My people into prostitution:
They are teaching My people that they must do
the works of the old covenant to please Me
so that I will give them a blessed life.
Many of these leaders know I do not require obedience
to the regulations of the old covenant.
Yet they continue to teach My people the ways of slavery
in order to keep their own place and position.
They put My people in slavery and say it is for their own profit.

"And so many of My people don't know how much I love them!
Many are trying to earn enough 'currency' with Me
to attain what they are taught is 'a blessed life'.
Their teachers have them look for satisfaction
in the ways and means of the world.

"How much longer will I endure this?"

Offensive Love

"Do not be afraid when I send messengers who speak words that seem offensive. Do not reject the messengers. Do not assume that what I say will never offend you. Even after I have done great work in your heart and your life, your heart may still be tied to things which you don't really need. When I send a messenger to you who gives you a word that seems offensive, I am showing you a part of your heart that needs to be set free. Do not be proud of how well you have been 'walking', but remember that you have been walking at all only because of My grace. I am not interested in preserving your pride; I am interested in healing your heart and setting you free."

*****

Art: "Heartstrings"

"I Hear Cries!"

The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of My people in Egypt.
I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers,
and I am concerned about their suffering."
(Exodus 3:7)

"Where are You, Lord?
We go to church every week...
We tithe our money and give many offerings...
We submit to our leaders and stay under their 'covering'...
We learn their principles and study their teachings...
We travel long distances to attend conferences and receive 'anointings'...
We go forward for altar calls...
We stand in line for healing, prophecy and deliverance...
We pray for Israel...
We follow the Hebrew calendar...

"Why are we still unhealed, Lord?
Why are we still struggling financially?
Why do we feel so far away from You?"

Therefore the Lord says:

"I have heard the cries of My abused children,
and I will deliver them.
I will send prophets to declare the testimony of Jesus alone
—the everlasting gospel of My grace—
which has been corrupted by false prophets and shepherds
who care only for themselves instead of for My people.
I will overturn the tables of the money-changers,
and I will lead My people to springs of living water."

*****

Art: "Rescue Us!"